New NICU nurse help

[Nursek90]

Hi,

I am a fairly new nurse. In March I hit my two year anniversary. But recently switched to NICU after med Surg and have only been off orientation since January. I work in a level 3 NICU and since coming off orientation have mainly had feeder/grower babies with the occasional high flow or INT. This past week we were extremely short staffed and I was given 3 babies all on high flow, and running fluids. In addition, we were so understaffed I had to help with multiple admissions. One of the babies I was taking care of had a significant IV infiltration, I had been checking but it happened during the chaos of the day. I immediately notified the provider, we treated with nitrobid and wydase.

I had this baby back the following day, the arm looked incredibly better but there was still a purple area on hand where insertion site was that our wound care nurse will treat.

 

I feel physically ill over this and am just devastated. It has affected me on a very physical and personal level and makes me wonder if NICU is the right fit for me. So many of my colleagues said it's not your fault, it happens. I just don't feel like I have that roll off your shoulder personality.

 

anyway, could use some advice.

 

[maroonbelle]

Yes it's a personal hit

it will continue in your practice across your nursing career and it creates a very tangled web of self reflection the key here is not to let it turn to self criticism 

you need a lot of fortitude

review and educate yourself on the intricacies of neonatal IV therapies and collaborate and review current hospital policy and practices with standards

partner with wound care and rewrite educate others

do a case presentation 

so many things to do to grow 

best of motives in caring for our patients is this open approach